Air-tight pepper-box



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UNTEE STATES FATENT FFQE.

EDMUND BROVN, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS AIR-TIGHT PEPPER-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 19,182, dated January 26, 1858.

To all ILr/Lomy '15 may Concern Be it known that I, EDMUND Bnowx, ofLynn, in the county of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, haveinvented a new and useful Air-Tight Spice and Pepper Box; and i do herey d-eclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction and operation of the saine, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Like parts are indicated by the same letters in both figures.

Figure l is a longitudinal section of the box, when not in use; Fig. 2,a view of the same, in use.

rIhe nature of my invention consists, first, in making a spice andpepper box self-closing and air-tight, when not in use, for the purposeof prevent-ing the escape of the aroma; and second, in making theperforations, for the delivery of the spice, in a valve or neck, at thebottom, instead of the top, of the box, to obviate the necessity ofturning it upside down, when shaken, and the liability of the coversdropping` oif and the disagreeable consequences resulting fro-m such anoccurrence.

To enable others, skilled in the art., to make and use my invention, Iwill proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is the box for holding the spice, and may be made of tin, or any othersuitable material. D isits top, or cover, precisely like those in commonuse, with the exception of being tight instead of perforated. The lowerpart of A, constituting the valve or neck, as seen in the figures, issmaller than the upper part, the perforations, a, for the delivery ofthe spice, being made in the periphery of said neck or valve, and not inthe bottom.

B is' a cylinder, or case, of tin or other suitable material, into whichthe spice-box, A, is fitted so as to play up and down with freedom ,-thebottom of the case, as seen in the figures, being provided with a roundhole through which the perforated neer or valve, of A, can be pressed,as seen in Fig. 2.

C C is a coil-spring encircling the Valve, one end resting on theshoulder of A, and the other ou the bottom of B, the object of thisspring being to raise the box and hold it, in the position representedin Fig. l, so as to be air-tight.y when not in use.

E is the handle.

F is the check and thumb-piece.

lt is obvious that, wit-hout altering the principle of my invention, theair-tight and perforated spring valve may be applied to boxes of glassor Crockery, as well as metal, and of any desirable shape for standii'igin a caster, either with the handle E, or without it.

Where glass, orcrockery is used, the box, A, may be dispensed with, theperforated valve being kept in place by means of a spindle, or wire,passing through the cover l), in which case the operator will press withhis thumb, or finger, on that instead of the thumb-piece F. It is alsoobvious that the air-tight valve may be applied to the top of a box aswell as the bottom, although I prefer the latter, both for the sake ofconvenience and looks.

The operation scarcely needs an explanation. The box being supplied withth-e spice or pepper, and the cover being fast, the operator grasps thehandle E, in his hand, and presses his thumb on the thumb-piece F, thebox cover, or the spindle alluded to above, so as to bring theperforated valve into the position represented in Fig. 2; he then shakesthe box, holding it top-end up, and without the possibility of shakingott the cover, spilling the spice and spoiling his food.

,Vhat l claim as my invention and di, to secure by Letters Patent, is,

Making a spice and pepper box air-tight and self-closing, substantiallyas described, and for the objects specified.

EDMUND BROVN .ire

YVitnesses F. D. BROWN, N, AMES.

